They’re basically barbarians.I hid my smile. Sweet, untamed wildlings. I was fond of each of these Made Men.
“Poppy?”
“Oh, right.” I turned to Ivan, who was managing to eat the messy sandwich without getting it everywhere. “I think we should bring Haroldson over for dinner. Walk him around the neighborhood.”
Silence dropped over the table. The clock on the wall was the only sound, the slim hand pecking the seconds in a steady rhythm. Brady muttered in the other room. But in the stillness, two pairs of eyes watched me.
“Why the fuck—” toast sprayed from Rayko’s lips “—would we do that?”
Ivan didn’t hesitate. He reached over and grabbed his second by the throat. “I warned you.”
With a vicious twist, Rayko’s face smashed into the table.
I yelped and clutched my coffee. “Ivan!”
“Mama?” Brady shouted, flying into the room.
The men returned to their lunch as if nothing happened. Except there was a trickle of blood falling from the henchman’s nose.
“Everything’s fine, son. Go play,” Ivan said smoothly.
Brady looked around before padding over to the counter, grabbing a sheet of paper towel, and handing it to Rayko.
“Thanks, buddy.” Rayko smiled.
Once Brady was gone, I let out a long breath. “You two are unbelievable.”
“Ah, there’s that word again,” Ivan smirked, a small smile just for me.
I rolled my eyes.
“Why don’t you explain yourself before you’re rudely interrupted again.” Ivan wiped his fingers on a napkin before reaching for the tikvenik.
In a rush, I blurted out the plan. “By inviting him over, we can show him that we’re a neighborhood worth investing in. He can see the unique culture here—” I resisted the urge to point out that they were basically wild animals roaming the streets “—and if we can convince him, which I’m certain we can, then he’ll know how to push plans forward to the city council, bypassing the commissioner. Because Dallas isn’t going to help us after, well, you know.”
My grip tightened on my mug. There was hardly a trace of the bruise on Brady’s cheek. But a rage like no other rattled through me at the barest mention of the scumbag who’d dared to lash out at my boy.
“She’s nuts,” Rayko muttered in Bulgarian.
“Hey! I heard that,” I protested.
The henchman dabbed at his nose before gracing me with a rare smile. “It’s not a bad thing, Poppy. I think crazy is going to be good for us on this one.”
I turned to Ivan, who was quietly scooting flakes of phyllo dough around his plate. “Well? What do you think?”
Dusting his hands, Ivan sat back in his chair and watched me.
I tried not to fidget under his steady gaze.
“I think that we’ve been running around, playing an impossible game,” he said, voice low and rough. “And I think you just gave us a way out of the maze.”
Triumph spread through me. It warmed me from the inside out. “Thank you.”
Ivan dipped his chin. “No, thank you, Poppy.”
The focused weight of his attention was enough to make me soar. I rose, grabbing the dishes, so I didn’t do something embarrassing with these fluttering emotions. Ivan whispered behind me, catching my wrist.
His thumb brushed over my pulse as he spoke. “I’ll do that. Go help Brady with the Hogwarts Castle.”
